- Title: The Dominican Republic braces as hurricane Irma approaches
- Date: 4th September 2017
- Summary: SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (SEPTEMBER 04, 2017) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ADMINISTRATIVE MINISTER TO THE PRESIDENT, JOSE RAMON PERALTA, SAYING: "(The government) is ready to face whatever situation may present itself." WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ADMINISTRATIVE MINISTER TO THE PRESIDENT, JOSE RAMON PERALTA, SAYING: "From this moment on, we are on a constant monitoring situation." JOURNALIST ASKING A QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DIRECTOR OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC'S EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTRE (COE), GENERAL MANUEL MENDEZ, SAYING: "All the authorities here today will do everything possible so that nobody is directly affected. People should know that when an evacuation order is given, especially when alert levels are sent, which will be going out starting tomorrow, the first thing to do to manage risk is self-evacuation."
- Embargoed: 19th September 2017 00:14
- Keywords: Storm Irma hurricane Hurricane Irma Category 4 Caribbean Dominican Republic
- Location: SANTO DOMINGO, PUERTO PLATA, AND NAGUA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
- City: SANTO DOMINGO, PUERTO PLATA, AND NAGUA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
- Country: Dominican Republic
- Topics: Disaster/Accidents,Wind/Hurricane/Typhoons/Tornadoes
- Reuters ID: LVA0036X6MIBN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Dominican President Danilo Medina led an emergency meeting with the Dominican Republic's National Emergency Commission on Monday (September 4) as Hurricane Irma barrels toward the Caribbean and the southern United States.
Irma was upgraded to a powerful Category 4 storm on Monday and hurricane advisories have been issued for territories that dot the West Indies, including parts of the Leeward Islands, the British and U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
The intensifying storm could pummel the area with life-threatening wind, storm surges and torrential rain by Tuesday (September 5) evening, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC).
Dominican authorities said the government was prepared for the storm and asked residents to heed warnings and follow evacuation procedures.
Irma is forecast to strengthen over the next 48 hours and could "directly affect Hispaniola, the Turks and Caicos, the Bahamas, and Cuba as a dangerous major hurricane later this week," the NHC said. Hispaniola is the island the Dominican Republic shares with Haiti. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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